Simulation of transitions between "pasta" phases in dense matter

Calculations of equilibrium properties of dense matter predict that at subnuclear densities nuclei can be rodlike or slablike. To investigate whether transitions between phases with nonspherical nuclei can occur during the collapse of a star, we perform quantum molecular dynamic simulations of the compression of dense matter. We have succeeded in simulating the transitions between rodlike and slablike nuclei and between slablike nuclei and cylindrical bubbles. Our results strongly suggest that nonspherical nuclei can be formed in the inner cores of collapsing stars.     

Aromatic hydrocarbon-catalyzed direct reaction of sulfur and sodium in a heterogeneous system: selective and facile synthesis of sodium monosulfide and disulfide

Sodium disulfide and monosulfide were selectively formed via the direct reaction of sulfur and an equimolar amount of sodium in 1,2-dimethoxyethane at 70 degrees C in the presence of a catalytic amount of aromatic hydrocarbons and ketone.     

Effects of an electron-withdrawing group on thermal decomposition of 4-alkylidene-1-pyrazolines: a novel stereoselective formation of alkylidenecyclopropane due to participation of pi-electrons on the methylene carbon in decomposition

Thermal decomposition of 4-alkylidenepyrazolines 14 bearing a methoxycarbonyl group at C-3, prepared by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between allenecarboxylates 12 and diazoalkanes 13, was carried out. Unlike normal 4-alkylidenepyrazolines, which decompose in stepwise mechanisms at high temperatures, 14 decomposed concertedly at moderately low temperatures (45-110 degrees C), resulting in selective formation of the two isomeric alkylidenecyclopropanes 7 arising from the bond formation between the exo-methylene carbon and the 5-carbon. The selective formation and the configurations of the products are rationalized in terms of the concerted process via the folded conformation of the pyrazolines. Introduction of an electron-withdrawing group at the 3-position of the 4-alkylidenepyrazoline system causes the polarization of the C(3)-N(2) bond inducing the properties of intramolecular diazonium salt 8, in which the pi-electrons on the methylene carbon become more nucleophilic and participate in the cleavage of the C(5)-N(1) bond. The X-ray crystal structure of the typical normal alkylidenepyrazoline 14a with only small steric interactions between the substituents was determined to be a nearly planar ring structure.     

Algorithm for linear response functions at finite temperatures: application to ESR spectrum of s=1/2 antiferromagnet Cu benzoate

We introduce an efficient and numerically stable method for calculating linear response functions chi(q,omega) of quantum systems at finite temperatures. The method is a combination of numerical solution of the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation, random vector representation of trace, and Chebyshev polynomial expansion of Boltzmann operator. This method should be very useful for a wide range of strongly correlated quantum systems at finite temperatures. We present an application to the ESR spectrum of s=1 / 2 antiferromagnet Cu benzoate.     

Optical Characteristics of the Retroreflector in Space on the ADEOS Satellite in Orbit

Optical characteristics of the retroreflector in space (RIS) on the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) in orbit were tested using a second harmonics Nd:YAG laser. The intensity of reflection from the RIS was analyzed with an intensified charge coupled device camera by comparing the image with those of stars. It was confirmed that the RIS in orbit is working properly as a retroreflector.     

Transport of monosaccharides through a liquid membrane mediated by lipophilic alkaline earth metal complexes

Lipophilic alkaline earth metal complexes, prepared from the corresponding metal hydroxides and phosphoric acid diesters, are quite effective for the transport of some monosaccharides, especially ribose, across a chloroform liquid membrane under neutral conditions.     

Uptake and degradation of arsenobetaine by the microorganisms occurring in sediments

We have reported the degradation of arsenobetaine [(CH₃)₃As⁺CH₂COO^?] to inorganic arsenic by microorganisms from various marine origins such as sediments. However, there was no information as to the fate of the ingested arsenobetaine within the body of the microorganisms before excretion. In this study, arsenobetaine and sediments were added to two culture media (1/5 Zobell 2216E and a solution of inorganic salts) and aerobically incubated at 25°C in the dark. Despite the degradation and complete disappearance of arsenobetaine from the filtrates of the incubation mixtures, the major arsenic compound from the microorganisms harvested from the mixtures was identified by HPLC as arsenobetaine throughout the incubation period. The presence of arsenobetaine was further confirmed by TLC and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS). A minor arsenical also present in the incubated microorganisms, dimethylarsinic acid, was detected.